AMUSEMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 October 1917, Page 1

AMUSEMENTS.

JOHN FULLER & SONS. ——i “CARIRIA" TO-NIGHT. To-night, at the Princess Theatre the mighty spectacle picture “ Cabiria” will be presented for the first time in Hokitika. Of all the wars the world has known the greatest is now in progress'. Until August of 1014 the greatest war in history was the terrific struggle between Rome and Carthage. As though they had gained some premonition of the terrible events which were to shake the world the following year one of the greatest picture making concerns — the Itala Film Company —undertook in 1013 the construction of a mammoth film depicting the extraordinary events of the Carthagenian wars. It was necessary of course that a thrilling story should be woven into the history of those stirring times and to viabriele D’Annunzio the most famous of modern Italian playrigbts was entrusted the task. He revelled m it and evolved a scenario which at first seemed impossible of production. It seemed too enormous, too vast. Armies had to be marched through the snow and ice of Alpine passes, cities had to be beleaguered and sacked. Fleets had to meet in the (•r<?sh of battle and to be destroyed by flames. Volcanoes had to belch forth. Soldiers, sailors, priests, princes, rulers, elephants and horses, temples arid palaces, had to be introduced in bewildering numbers. Rut. the great work was undertaken and was successfully carried out. Trick photography plays a large part in tlie construction of a most modern film play. Every producer wishes to transfer to the film events and scenes which it is impossible to command at will or to imitate, by ordinary means. On the ordinary stage such scenes have to be omitted altogether In the film play the ingenuity of the biograph operator generally'finds away of reproducing them. Great tilings have been accomplished in pictures, but they pale into insignificance beside the achievements of the cinema people in “ Gabiria. Rome, Paris, New York, London have declared it the greatest picture play ever produced. It represents the summit of the cinematographer s art. Reality and the trick effects which the cinematograph makes possible i have been blended in the most masterly fashion. An enthralling story is presented amid scenes of awful wonder and dazzling magnificence.